Hood



' J. F. OBYRNE.

v HOOD. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 12, I917- 1 ,333,214. Patented M0129, 1920.

IN V ELV TOR.

WITNESSES: 0, [QC/fir 0 7 2 A TTORN E Y5.

'1 '0 all whom it may concern:

, UNITED STATE Josn'rn answers c tizens, or rnnnroncr, nnwYoRK.

' noon.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filedNovember 112, i917. Serial lfiro'. $301,488.

This invention relates to improvements in hoods for automobiles and like vehicles.

The invention also relates to improved finishing covers for such hoods, which covers are decorated by the method disclosed in my co-pending applications, Serial No. 1%,193, filed February 12, 1917, and l lo. 174,139, filed June 11, 1917.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved hood to inclose the space be-f tween the dash and radiator of an automobile, which hood consists of V a one'piece flexible developable member, adapted to bend aboutand fit the dash and radiator, and when so positioned to inclose the space therebetween, together with means whereby the member may beheld in closed position or maybe moved to other positons to said'space from either side of the automobile.

Another object of the invention is to provide in combination with a hood of the character described an improved protecting and decorative coveringtherefor. 3

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following description and will bepar ticularly pointed out in the appended claims. The invention, in an embodiment at pres ent preferred, is disclosed for illustrative of the improved hood construction:

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the hood in closed position;

Fig. 3 is asectional view illustrative of the manner of building up the hood covering with decorative and protective layers;

Fig. 4 is a similar view' illustrative of the mannerof holding the assembled layers of the hood together; and v Figs. 5 and 6 are fragmentary sectional views showing modificationsjin thearrangement of decorative and protective layers.

According to one feature oftheinvention, the hood is made up from a sinsrleone-piece developable member 10 of flexible material. There are, no joints, hinge connections and space therebetween. The member 10 the like, but, on the contrary, member 10 is simply and inexpensively produced by cutting frorn suitable material, as thin sheet metal, a piece of such shape that it may thereafter be curved to fit about the dash (Z and radiator 1". That is, the surface ofthe hood, when in positionto 'inclose the space between the dash and radiator, is a developable one and can be rolled out into a fiat sheet. Conversely, the hood is such that; it

S PA ENT was i Patented Ma. 9, 1920.

veloped into a fiat sheet. Thedash and radiator have flanges 11 and-l2, respectively, which are directed toward one anotherand which provide supporting surfaces for two edges of the member 10. The exterior surfacesof flanges .11 and 12 are readily developable, whereby the member '10 may be cut from' a single flat piece'of material and thereafter curved into shape to fit around flanges 11' and 12 and between the dash and radiator r forthe purpose of inclosing'the is of flexible, readily bendable material, which does not of itself retain curvatures but tends to resume its original flat form. It is made of such material that'it maybe bent back forth many times-without cracking or being otherwise .lIlJllI'Gd. The member 10, therefore, requires means to retainitin position about the dash rhradiator 'r, and flanges 11 and 12. Such means are PTOVIClQCl'iIl the shape of strips 13 .secured to the outer face of the dash near along two edges and at four corners by the parts 13 andl i. The other two edges of member 10 preferably have the customary bead b (Fig 2), and on aframe f which 5 supports the dash d and radiator r, are

mountedretaining clips 0, of'theusual wellknown form. which engage'with head I) and hold the member 10 tightlv stretched around the flanges 11 and 12, vThus, the hood'10'is eflectivelyrheldbyisimple means against dis placement in all directions;

100 ment. The member 10 is thus engaged" Preferably, handles it are provided on hood 10 and openings are formed in the latter, all as shown in Fig. 2, for the usual reasons. 7

Means are also provided, whereby the V hood 10 may be held inother positions for the purpose of exposingthe space between the dash and radiator from either side of the automobile. Such means consists of vertically-arranged U-shaped strips 15 on the dash (Z and like strips 16 on radiator The hood '10, instead oi being positioned in both strips 13 and both strips it, as in Fig. :2. may be positioned on one side by one strip 13 and onestrip la; and on the other side by one strip 15 and the opposite strip 16, all as clearly indicated in Fig, l. lhus, the space between members (Z and '2'- will be Completely desirable advantage incident to the construc= tion of the hoodas described, lies in the 'lact'that when positioned as in Fig. 2 it presents a. remarkably improved appearance over hoods of the ordinary types, since it presents a single smooth and unbroken surface whiclrresults' in a distinctly pleasing effect. I

According to another feature of the in vention, the hood is made as herein disclosed for theeffective application of decorative and protective material. The hood,.instead of being a single sheet, as described, may consist of a plurality of superposed sheets.

as shown in Figs. 3 to 63, inclusive. Consid- V 3, the hood covering may be made up of a sheet 10. of similar n aerial and in a similar manner as member in order toaliord' a milled edge 1? along; each O'fdlZS tour edges. Upon this member 10 is laid a sheet of transparent material. 18 to which paint, varn sh or other coloring material has been previously applied in a layer 19, The four milled edges 17 are then rol ed up as indicated in Fig. l, to bring the milled edees againstthe top edges of the transparentmaterial 18. Pressure is. then applied to. force the overlapping and milled portions oi -member l0 aa'ainstthe layer 1.8

to compress and bind it along its four edges. Preferably, the several layers are dished slightly. as indicatedin Fin. 3. so that the sheet 10.- when subsequently flattened out will stretch the transparent material into p 10 described, except that it 1s preferably somewhat larger tions of layers.'

asmooth fiat sheet, the grip of the milled portions '17 being suiiicient to securely hold the sheet- '18 under tension. ings, the several component layers of the hood covering have been shown in exaggerated form for clearness, but in reality they are made very thin so that the entire assembly is readily flexible.

The transparent sheet 18 may be of any suitable materialwhich is transparent, flexible, and preferably highly polished. Celluloid is an example of a material which has the'requisite qualities, but, owing to its inflammability, is not generally satisfactory. There are other materials, however, closely. resembling celluloid in appearance, but not inflammable, which are suitable, such cellulose acetate material, and that material now largely need for motion picture films, for example. Such 'inaite'rials as described are furthermore advantageous in that they are waterproof.

The decorative layer 19 is of suitable coloring" matterypreferably paint, varnish, or the like. lVhen paint and the like is employed for the decorative layer 19, it need not be appliecbwith particular care to the transparentsheet 18. It be appliedin a rough way if desired by dipping the sheet 'inqpaint or spraying or. pouring the paint on the sheet. The rregularitiesln the outer surface .oi'the decorative layer do not matter, for, despite these irregularities, the inner surface is necessarily smooth since it is con tiguous to the polished transparent sheet18. Thus, the decorative layer 19, when viewed through the transparent'material 18, is of absolutely uniform color and possesses a high degree of luster, as more fully pointed out. in the above-named co-pendinsr application, and this luster isnot o tainable in any other manner, so far as'lam aware, as conveniently andethciently as that herein described.

The covering made up as described may be applied to and between-radiator r and dash cl in. the same manner as the singlev sheet hood 10, alreadydescribed. 7 I

The compound hood covering just described may be made up of other combina- Thus, as shownin Fig. 5, the sheet 10 may be painted, varnished and rubbed down to iormj a polished decorative layer 20. The latter is then covered and protected against inj ury by a layer 21, which may consist of felt or like'suit'able material.

The transparent sheet 18 having af decoras tivelayer 19 on one face, is then applied to the layer 21 with the layer 19 adjacent the latter. The decorative layer 19 will then be seen as in the covering" shown in Fig. 3, but when. for any reason,a new finish, or a. finish of different color, is desired, the layers 18, 19 and 21 may be readily removed to ex pose a fresh and lustrous layerQO, hitherto In the drawconcealed by layer 21. Another desirable modification consists in applying to the unfinished member ,the transparent layer 18, which has a decorative layer 22 on its outer face, as well as the layer 19, applied as heretofore described. The layer 22 is applied in the usual manner and rubbed down and polished. When layer 22 becomes worn 'orloses its luster, it may be readily removed, as with paint remover, to reveal the fresh, highly polished, lustrous,decorative l. yer 19. Obviously, a layer similar to the layer 22 shown in F ig. 6 may be applied to the outer surface of the layer 18 in the modification which is shown in Fig. 5, and many other modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. The compound coverings descrlbed are particularly advantageous in that the decorative material 19 may be economically applied, and even in a very rough manner, to

produce highly polished decorative surfaces having an improved luster which can only be otherwise approximated by careful and expert work and at considerable expense due to the repeated rubbing down processes involved. Moreover, the decorated surfaces are effectively protected against the constant bombardment by minute articles of sand, dirt, and the like, so that the highly lustrous surfaces may be retained for long periods,

Furthermore, the polished decorated sun faces of automobiles undergo repeated washings, and thus repeated scratching, but .with the covering described, the paint or the like is not affected, since the washing comes on the transparent material alone. Any dulling of the latter, caused by repeatedfwashing, scratching or oxidation may be readily removed by buffing the sheet, without touching the inner painted surface thereof.

he invention has been described in a pre ferred form with detailed variations for the purposes of illustration, but the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description.

What I claim is 1. The combination with the dash and radiator ofan automobile of a hood, said hood comprising a single developable sheet of material adapted to be moved into position to fit about the dash and radiator to inclose the space' therebetween, and to be moved to another position to expose the space therebetween, and means to hold the hood in either of said positions.

2. A hood for an automobile, comprising, a one-piece flexible member adapted to fit about the dash and radiator of an automobile to inclose the space therebetween, means to releasably hold the hood when thus positioned, said hood being bendable into other positions to expose said space and entirely 1 removable if desired when said means are released.

3. A hood for anautomobile, comprising, a one-piece flexible developable member shaped to fit about the dash and radiator of an automobile, and adapted when thus positioned -to, inclose the space therebetween, means to removably hold the hood when thus positioned, other holding means adjacent the first-named means, each thereof adapted to,

receive the far side of the hood while the near side is held by the first-named means, whereby the hood may. be moved to expose said space from either side of the automo bile.

4. An automobile hood, comprising, a

flexible member shapedto fit about the radiator and dash of an automobile to inclose the space therebetween, a flexible transparent layer on said member, a layer of coloring material between the member. and said transparent material, and means to removably hold the hood in position to inclose said space. 7

5. The combination with the dash and radiator of an automobile, of ahood to inclose the space therebetween, said hood comprising a sheet of flexible material, a sheet/of flexible transparent material outside the of an automobile to inclose the space therebetween, and means to removably hold the hood in closed position.

'7. An automobile hood, consisting); of a finished flexible member, a transparent layer covering the finished surface of said member first-named sheet, a coloring layer covering and a coloringflayer covering both surfaces of said transparent layer, means to hold the latter to said member, said member being shaped to fit about the dash and radiator of an automobile to inclose the space therebetween, and means to removably hold the hood in closed position.

8. An automobile hood, consisting of a flexible member, a transparent layer covering the outer surface of said member and a. coloring layer covering the inner surface of saidtransparent layer, means to hold the latter to said membensaid member being; j

shaped to fit about the dash and radiator of an automobile to inclose the. space therebetween, and means to removably hold the hood in closed position.

JOSEPH FRANCIS OBYRNE. 

